Flickr Group

Hello everybody, and I hope you all are having a good New Year! Like Tim mentioned, a lot is planned here on Commute By Bike. We have some new writers and I think you’ll like what they have for you.

My dad has been a fan of solar energy for over two decades and over the years he’s sent me a box full of LED lights that are recharged through built-in photovoltaic cells. Unfortunately, all of them are useful only as novelty gadgets, but Cycliciousness mentioned these new solar recharged bike lights from Owleye in Taiwan.

Owleye offers various models of headlights and red taillights featuring one to five Nichia 12,500 mcd LEDs. According to Owleye, the Li-ion batteries take one to three hours to charge, depending on the model, and can provide up to 12 hours of lighting in flashing mode.

This light is available in the United States from 21 Wheels in Boulder, Colorado for US$29.95 + shipping. Canadian members of MEC can purchase the light from MEC for CAD$19.50.

7 Responses to “Solar powered bicycle light”

That’s like almost enough directions for me to follow on the solar LEDs. Hmmm… (I confess that I took my deckreations down before Epiphany because they were awfully heavy for the distances I was doing… and weren’t nobody around to see ‘em anyway!)

Thank you so much! I am in need of a new headlight, and really wanted to get one that was battery-free. I considered the Reelight, but from what I’ve read would have had to choose between the blinking or steady light models – this solar light does both!

Interesting light, something to think about for touring more than commuting though. Everywhere I’ve had to park my bikes has been inside, and the last two in poorly lit parking garages, so even with a charger that works off of electric lighting it wouldn’t do much good. For a bike tour though it would work great.

Batter-free lights are great. My touring bike has a generator in the front hub. As the bike moves it powers the lights (front and rear) and when the bike stops the lights stay on for several minutes. My lights are also very bright. They not only light up the road, I have never had a car pull out in front of me and motorist seem to see me with plenty of time to pass me safely even when I ride in the country.
Shimano and Shimidt both make them. I have the Shimidt and love it more than I can say. They are pricey, but when compared to the cost of a motor vehicle and they last for years. I have had mine for 2 years and 10,000 miles without any problems. And if you change bikes, as long as the front wheels are the same size, you can remount the lights on the new bike.

Sinse the lights don’t ever go dead I run them on cloudy and rainy days or when ever I feel they are needed, not just at night.

One day I want to build a cell phone charger powered by the generator.